Diaphragm valves, valve components, and methods for forming valve components

Abstract

A diaphragm valve is disclosed. The diaphragm valve may include, a valve body comprising a valve channel, the valve channel including an inlet channel and an outlet channel. The diaphragm valve may also include, a valve seat adjacent to the valve channel and a flexible diaphragm comprising a wetted surface and an opposing non-wetted surface, the flexible diaphragm being disposed adjacent to the valve channel. The diaphragm valve may also include, a flexible heater disposed over the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm, and a valve actuator that is operable to operable to move the wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm into and out of contact with the valve seat. Valve components including a flexible heater and methods for forming such valve components are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A diaphragm valve, comprising:
 a valve body comprising a valve channel, the valve channel including an inlet channel and an outlet channel; 
 a valve seat adjacent to the valve channel; 
 a flexible diaphragm comprising a wetted surface and an opposing non-wetted surface, the flexible diaphragm being disposed adjacent to the valve channel; 
 a flexible heater disposed over the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm; 
 a flexible temperature sensor disposed over the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm; and 
 a valve actuator that is operable to move the wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm into and out of contact with the valve seat. 
 
     
     
       2. The diaphragm valve of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible temperature sensor comprises a flexible printed thermocouple comprising a first printed thermocouple element comprising a first metal-containing ink and a second printed thermocouple element comprising a second metal-containing ink, the first printed thermocouple element being in electrical contact with the second printed thermocouple element thereby forming a thermocouple junction. 
     
     
       3. The diaphragm valve of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible temperature sensor is disposed directly over the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm. 
     
     
       4. The diaphragm valve of  claim 1 , further comprising a flexible substrate disposed over the flexible temperature sensor. 
     
     
       5. The diaphragm valve of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible heater is disposed directly on the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm. 
     
     
       6. The diaphragm valve of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible heater and the flexible temperature sensor are disposed upon the same surface. 
     
     
       7. The diaphragm valve of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible heater and the flexible temperature are disposed upon different surfaces. 
     
     
       8. The diaphragm valve of  claim 7 , wherein the flexible heater is disposed over a surface of a first flexible substrate and the flexible temperature sensor is disposed over a surface of a second flexible substrate. 
     
     
       9. The diaphragm valve of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional heaters disposed within the valve body, wherein the flexible heater and the one or more additional heaters are configured for maintaining a differential temperature of the internal wetted surfaces of the diaphragm valve below 1° C. 
     
     
       10. A precursor delivery system comprising the diaphragm valve of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       11. The precursor delivery system of  claim 10 , further comprising one or more additional heaters disposed adjacent to the diaphragm valve and configured for maintaining a differential temperature of the internal wetted surfaces of the diaphragm valve below 1° C. 
     
     
       12. A semiconductor processing apparatus comprising the precursor delivery system of  claim 10 . 
     
     
       13. A diaphragm valve, comprising:
 a valve body comprising a valve channel, the valve channel including an inlet channel and an outlet channel; 
 a valve seat adjacent to the valve channel; 
 a flexible diaphragm comprising a wetted surface and an opposing non-wetted surface, the flexible diaphragm being disposed adjacent to the valve channel; 
 a flexible heater disposed over the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm; and 
 a valve actuator that is operable to move the wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm into and out of contact with the valve seat, 
 wherein the flexible heater comprises a flexible printed heater comprising one or more electrically conductive traces comprising an electrically conductive ink. 
 
     
     
       14. A diaphragm valve, comprising:
 a valve body comprising a valve channel, the valve channel including an inlet channel and an outlet channel; 
 a valve seat adjacent to the valve channel; 
 a flexible diaphragm comprising a wetted surface and an opposing non-wetted surface, the flexible diaphragm being disposed adjacent to the valve channel; 
 a flexible heater disposed over the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm; 
 a valve actuator that is operable to move the wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm into and out of contact with the valve seat; and 
 a flexible substrate disposed over the flexible heater. 
 
     
     
       15. A diaphragm valve, comprising:
 a valve body comprising a valve channel, the valve channel including an inlet channel and an outlet channel; 
 a valve seat adjacent to the valve channel; 
 a flexible diaphragm comprising a wetted surface and an opposing non-wetted surface, the flexible diaphragm being disposed adjacent to the valve channel; 
 a flexible heater disposed over the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm; and 
 a valve actuator that is operable to move the wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm into and out of contact with the valve seat, 
 wherein the flexible heater is disposed over a surface of a flexible intermediate substrate. 
 
     
     
       16. The diaphragm valve of  claim 15 , further comprising a bonding interface between a lower surface of the flexible intermediate substrate and the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm. 
     
     
       17. The diaphragm valve of  claim 15 , further comprising an additional flexible substrate disposed over the flexible intermediate substrate. 
     
     
       18. A valve component, comprising:
 a flexible diaphragm, the flexible diaphragm comprising a wetted surface and an opposing non-wetted surface; 
 a flexible heater, the flexible heater being disposed over the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm; and 
 a flexible temperature sensor disposed over the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm, 
 wherein the flexible temperature sensor comprises a flexible printed thermocouple comprising a first printed thermocouple element comprising a first metal-containing ink and a second printed thermocouple element comprising a second metal-containing ink, the first printed thermocouple element being in electrical contact with the second printed thermocouple element thereby forming a thermocouple junctions. 
 
     
     
       19. The valve component of  claim 18 , wherein the flexible heater comprises a flexible printed heater comprising one or more electrically conductive traces comprising an electrically conductive ink. 
     
     
       20. The valve component of  claim 18 , further comprising a flexible substrate disposed over the flexible heater. 
     
     
       21. The valve component of  claim 18 , wherein the flexible heater is disposed over a surface of a flexible intermediate substrate and a bonding interface is disposed between a lower surface of the flexible intermediate substrate and the non-wetted surface of the flexible diaphragm. 
     
     
       22. The valve component of  claim 21 , further comprising an additional flexible substrate disposed over the flexible intermediate substrate. 
     
     
       23. The valve component of  claim 18 , wherein the flexible heater and the flexible temperature sensor are disposed upon the same surface. 
     
     
       24. The valve component of  claim 18 , wherein the flexible heater and the flexible temperature sensor are disposed upon different surfaces.